The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, July 20, 1911, Image 4
MAKES IT PLAIN
Stale Beard #f Edacahea Give Their
Side efBeek Adeptiea.
SAVING TO THE STATE
Statement of the Appointive Members
of the State Board of Education
Concerning the Adoption of Text
Books for the Schools of South
Carolina,
I
In view of the misunderstandings
and erroneous statements that have
grown out of the recept; protest issued
,by State Superintendent Swearlngen
in reference to tpe late adoption
of text books, the undersigned
appointive members of .-the State
Board of Education submit to the
people the following statement of
the facts involved:
Fitness of the Members to Judge and
Select Text Books.
The undersigned members of the
Board have all of them been for many
years intimately connected with the
schools. Most of them are teachers
of many years' experience of
nearly every grade and every kind of
school. ,
Special Preparation for tlie Adoption.
For something over two years,
they have had this adoption in view
and have in consequence, been acquainting
themselves with the usableness.
and merits of the books in
tactual use in the schools. This has
been done not only by examination
of the books themselves but by the
questioning of teachers all over the
State.
For some six months prior to the
adoption, books to be offered began
to cone in and expert representatives
of the book companies began their
visits to the several members of the
Board. The coming of these books
and agents increased in frequency, so
that for some three months .before
the adoption, the members were called
to spend most of their time, not
given to their regular work, In the
examination of books and the discussion
of'them with agents.
This prolonged and searching examination
df text books was supplemented
by informal discussions and
comparisons among the members
themselves while in attendance upon
Board meetings in Columbia. Hence
the several members entered the
adoption with clearly defined views
as to the relative merits and suitability
of various books, Including
those now in use, and had, in many
cases, their minds made up on their
first choice, or on the books which
they would be willing to accept in
place of this first choice, and with
definite ideas as to the opinions
of their fellow members.
Consequently when the time came for
adoption, the members were virtually
ready to vote intelligently without
the necessity of much discussion,
though despite this preparation there
was full discussion on all important
books.
The undersigned members submit,
therefore, that this experience and
this study of the books, it is reasonable
to conclude that their individual
judgment as to the merits of the
books submitted deserves the same
consideration, and is just as likely to
be correct, as that of Mr. Swearingen,
and that where a majority of them
were agreed upon a particular book,
It is just and rational, as well as
democratic, to assume that this majority
opinion was more likely correct
than that of Mr. Swearingen or
that of any minority which included
Mr. Swearingen.
The So-Called Secret Ballot.
It is unthinkable that Superintendent
Swearingen intended In the
slightest degree to impugn or make
Insinuation against the Integrity of
the members of the Board, either individually
or collectively. Indeed
we have his assurance that he did
not; yet that construction has been
put upon his protest and especially
upon his reference to a secret ballot.
Hence wre are at a loss to understand
why, when he perceived that
the newspapers so construed his protest,
ho did not, in justice to himself
end in justice to the Board, immediately
publish a disclaimer of any
such intention.
The .ballot, it Is due to say, was
not secret In the sense that any member's
vote was concealed. It la due
to say, further, that not only was the
method based upon the precedent, of
the adoption of five years ago, hut,
In the agreement to adopt the Impersonal
vote, it was distinctly stated
that, If in the voting any member
desired to put on record anything
about the vote or adoption, ho had
the right to do so.
In the case of most of the books,
especially of the more Important
ones, there were a preliminary discussion
that revealed whether there
was any decided dixerences of opinion
among the members. Some member
them put a particular book In nomination.
There was yet fuller discussion,
including comparisons with
such other books as Individual members
thought worthy of mention. An
open individual vote was then taken.
Thus the whole Board knew how
each member voted.
How the Members Voted.
On only three of the books adopt#d
were the undersigned members
v;
t
divided in their final vote. These
were, the basal set of Readers, the
Geograples and the English books below
the high school. The following
voted for the Wheeler primer: Messrs
Daniel. Glenn. O'Driscoll, Rembert,
Thackston and Toms. In the case 01
the first and second basal Readers.
Messrs. Glenn and Rembert voted for
the Graded Classics of D. F. Johnson
& Co. as a solid basal set. Messrs.
Daniel. O'Driscoll, Rice. Thackston
and Toms voted for the Wheeler first
and second Readers, as adopted. In
the case of the Geographies, the final
vote stood for Maury, Messrs. Daniel,
O'Driscoll, Thackson, and Toms; for
Frye, Messrs. Glenn, Rembert ana
Rice. In the case of the Grammars
the following voted for Kinard and
Withers books: Messrs. Gleinn,
O'Driscoll, Rembert, Rice and Thackston.
The following voted against
these books: Messrs. Daniel and
Toms. In each such instance, however,
those who opposed the books finally
adopted cheerfully accepted and
approved the verdict of the majority.
In the final vote on all other books
adopted the undersigned members
voted alike.
Change of Text Books.
In reference to the change of text
books, it must be remembered that
the law itself anticipates the necessity
for change in providing for a periodic
adoption. The object, moreover
in inviting bids is to seoure not the
cheapest books, but the best books
at the lowest prices. The Board
showed its recognition of this principle
as .a primary end in the fact
that, at its first meeting and frequently
in the course of the adoption,
it was repeated with emphasis that
the first duty was to get the best
books irrespective of reasonable differences
in price. One of the most
dangerous doctrines implied in Mr.
Swearingen' protest is that which
tends to establish the principle that
books shouid not be changed and
that cheapness is the chief object.
No man's child should be compelled
to use inferior text books even
ounh hAnVa wrrn f nrntf?*?d
I livyii^ii ou vu ?y v/ v/ .. v. ^ ......
free of cost. Time once lost by the
child through poor books, is never
recovered and the damage done is
irreparable. People living in the
country, are, as >a rule, not in position
to keep up with the advance in
text book improvements. These advances
are on a par with, or ahead
of, Improvements, along other lines;
and books that were relatively good
four or five years ago may be relatively
poor today. Surely the country
children are entitled to as good
books as the town children are. This
advantage the Board was fully determined
they should have, without
regard to criticism.
Increase in Prices.
Most of those who have made comparisons
between particular books of
the old and the new adoption have
fallen into serious and misleading error.
Primer and reader.?In the case
of the Primer, ialthough the one
adopted costs 13 cents more than
the old one, It contains 6,700 words
or reading matter, whereas the old
Primer, pasteboard bound, cheaply
made, poorly illustrated, gave only
110 words of reading matter for one
cent, while the New Primer, cloth
? j />.. li.. illnafpot.
DO U II (I, 111 11^ emu wxycL u 111 u 11 r iuuui/kuv
ed, gives 225 words of reading matter
for one cent. The judgment of
the school world upon this new book
may bo inferred from the fact that
it has been adopted in eleven States.
So, also, are the Readers adopted
superior to those discarded.
Reading is the most important subject
taught in the school, because
the child's progress in all other studies
depends upon his ability to read.
That series of Readers which enables
the child to gain this power in the
shortest possible time, is in the end
the best and cheapest. Such a series
undersigned members of the board
claim to have adopted.
Geographies.?In the comparison
between the old and the adopted Primary
Geographies, the following is
the fact: The book thrown out was
confessedly unsuitodlyjrdsiteirti?pn
confessedly unsuitable and was not
supported by a single member of the
Hoard. The Hoard was finally limited
to a choice between the New
Primary Frye at 4 0 cents and the
new Primary Maury at 4 5 cents, a
difference of five cents and not of 12
cents, as alleged.
Physiologies?It is equally unfair
and misleading to compare the cost
of the three book series of Physiologies
adopted with the two book series
discarded. The third and added
book is to be used as an elective
science in one of the high school
classes, and was adopted in response
to the most marked movement of the
day?the call for the education of
ith Iflws and nre
l ii U j/\;u in tivw. v.. 4
servation. Tn the two lower books,
those adopted are ro far ahead of the
old books that there Is no comparison.
The Primer of Sanitation alone
if placed in the home of every man
| in Soubh Carolina and read and even
partly followed would save In one
year more money than this adoption
'will cost. , i
Arithmetics?The comparison between
the old and the new Arithmetics
is an instance of the glaring injustice
done to the Board. The following
is the statement given:
Cost of old arithmetic, elementary
22
Cost of old arithmetic, advanced
40
Total #-# ? ?621
Cost of new arithmetic, elementary
32
Cost of new arithmetic, inter
mediate * 36
Cost of new arithmetic, advanced
41
Total > 11
Making the apparent Increase on
arithmetics 47 cent*. As a matter
of fact, the New Advanced Arithmetic
quoted at 41 cents in the second
IJtt above, was on the old list and
Is a re-adopted book. The proper
comparison should be:
Cost of old Wenthworth arithmetic,
elementary 22
Cost of old Wentworth arithtic,
advanced 40
Cost of old Milne arithmetic
advanced 41
Total $1.03
Cost of new Milne arithmetic,
-1 i o o
eienieiiuir.v u
Cost of new Milne arithmetic,
Intermediate 3G
Cost of readopted arithmetic,
advanced 41
Total $1.09
This makes the increased price only
six cents. A change In the two
lower Arithmetics was considered
advisable, since in the judgment of
the Doard they were out of date.
Such being the case, the adoption or
the Milne was logical, inasmuch as
the advanced Milne was already on
the list and the whole series was already
widely used in the independent
schools of the State.
Saving to the State.
Those who have commented on the
cost of the adoption have overlooked
the positive fact that this Board has
secured what is confessedly the best
contract ever obtained from the publishers
in this country. For we maintain
that the credit for this contract
is due to no one man, but that the
contract was the product of the combined
judgment of the whole Board
and was unanimously adopted by it.
By this contract, for the first time
in the history of book adoptions,
"anv old book" in the hand of the
child has been given a definite money
value and will be taken in exchange
for any book of a lower or higher
grade in the same series. By the
same contract, too, the length of
time allowed for exchange has been
increased 25 per cent.
Both the method and the saving
in this exchange provision may illustrated
with the Headers. By the
contract the old Johnson Primer,
which, when new, cost the children
12 cents, has now an exchange value
of 15 cents. That is to say, an old
Johnson Primer and 10 cents will buy
a new Wheeler Primer, the retail
contract price of which is 25 cents.
Or the same Primer and 10 cents will
buy a new Wheeler First Reader, the
contract price of whicn is 25 certs.
In the same way, an old Primer may
be used at this valuation of 15 cents
to help pay for any reader, first,
second, third, fourth, or fifth; whereas,
in the past a Primer could be exchanged
only for a Primer. Further,
an old first reader, which cost 20
cents when new, has by contract been
given a money value of 15 cents and
may bo used to help pay for a Primer
or for any Reader.
In the o?se of the Geographies, the
old Primary Geography, which was
discarded by the Board, and which
lvimn now ss cents, has bv con
VV/OW T? 11 V?? ??V .. , ^
tract been given an exchange value
of 23 cents, being only 10 cents less
than it cost when new. That is to
say, an old primary geography and
2 2 cent swill pay for the new book
adopted. Or the old Primary Geography
and 65 cents will pay for the
new Advanced Geography. So, too,
the old Advanced Geography and 22
cents will buy the new Primary Geography.
Could any one deny that
money has been saved to the State
Cost to the State. .
It has been claimed that the Board
by its action wantonly destroyed
property values estimated at $500,000.
This sum is just a few thousand
less than the cost of all the
school books bought in South Carolina
during the years 1906-191 1.
How preposterous this claim is will
appear from the following: ,
It assumes that all these books,
oven those bought five years ago, are
still in usable form in the hands of
the children and are now worth what
they cost when new. It assumes also
that if all the old books had been
readopted, the children of the State
would not have had to buy any new
books during the coming five years.
It forgets that each book now in the
hands of the child has not only paid
its price in use, Jkilt Is by contract
I given an added definite value, approximately
fifty per cent, of its orig
inal cost.
The following analysis will show
that the apparent loss to the State
would in reality be only about $16,000
a year for the flve-yoar period,
or only about 4 2-3 cents per child,
instead of the alleged loss of $5 00,000.
As it is claimed that the loss
was entailed by the assumed eighty
per cent change, then the entire value
involved would be upon this eighty
per cent, or upon $400,000 instead
of $500,000. It is, however, generally
estimated by teachers and experienced
book men that the average
life of a text book, especially In the
lower grades, is from one to three
years. On a liberal allowance then,
the hooks bought during the first
three years of the last adoption period
are not usable in class, though
,by the contract they have been given
an exchange money value. This reduces
the possible loss to the books
bought during the last two years, or
to two-fifths of $400,000, that Is
$160,000. Now, not only have these
START TO FIGHT
Thirty-Three filled ie Pitched Battle ia
Streets efPachla.
ATTACK ON THE TROOPS
Some of tlic late Rebels In Mexico
Force Scuie Federal Soldiers to
Their Quarters Until They Were
Relieved.
A dispatch from Puebla, Mexico,
says fighting between federals and
Maderistus which began Thursday
night and lasted until daylight was
resumed Friday afternoon at Cerro
San Juan, close to Puebla. The battle
raged for three hours and is staid
to have claimed more than forty in
killed and wounded.
A party of Maderists who fled from
the bull ring Wednesday night after
a stiff fight with the federals, out
the interoceanic railroad at Fabrica
de Matienzo, took possession of a
train and proceeded to San Marlin,
25 miles to the north, to procure
rifles and ammunition with the avowed
intention to return and renew the
attack.
The fight, (according to witnesses,
was provoked by three men, one of
whom was said to be a son of Former
Governor iMucio Martinez, who passed
the bull ring where the Maderistas
were quartered and fired into the
place and into the barracks of the
Zaragosa battalion of State troops i
opposite.
The fight was taken up by both
sides, each thinking the other had
started the trouble. The fight was
bloody and among the 4 0 dead were
several women and a federal lieutenant
colonel, Moises Breton. The
affair Is laid ,by the revolutionosts
at the door of the Cientiflcos, who are
said to have arranged the details in
advance and calculated upon the effect
of the preliminary shooting.
By others the clash was said to
have been provoked by an attack by
a drunken revolutionists upon the
penitentiary with the Intention to
liberate the prisoners.
At the first volley the State troops
came out of their quarters but were
triven back ,by the revolutionists.
The latter kept up a spasmodic fire
battalion of federals was ordered to
their relief. The fighting ceased only
when Gov. Canete appeared with a
white flag and pleaded for peace.
A special train with Francisco L.
Madero on board arrived in the city
soon after the battle began. It is
alleged drunken Maderistias made an
attack upon the penitentiary with
dynamite bombs in an effort to release
the prisoners. The Saragossa
troops stationed close by opening fire.
Maderistias from the bull ring attacked
the federals and forced them
hack into their Quarters. A scatter
ins fire was kept up all night. At
daybreak the Twenty-ninth battalion
ciame to the rescue of the other federals
and used a machine tgiun to clear
the streets. At this attack the Maderistas
fled, leaving a large number
of dead and wounded in the streets.
hooks paid their price in actual use,
but they have an actual value of fifty
per cent of their cost when new
This reduces the alleged loss to $80,000.
If this loss be distributed over
a period of five years, a legitimate
distribution, inasmuch as the assumed
loss covered that period, this
makes a so-called loss of $16,000 a
year. This leaves a so-called loss of
$16,000 ?a year to he distributed
among the 340,000 and more children
in the schools, or about four ana
2-3 cents apiece.
Thus, at this slight additional expense
of 4 2-3 cents, each child in
the State would be supplied with new
and better books. Surely this is gain
and not loss. For it is a serious injustice
to a child, an injustice at once
physical, intellectual and aesthetic, to
put into his hands an old, defaced,
and filthy book in any study.
We have gone into these figures on
the assumption that the statement
~ ~ * /? ? v t 1 U
that so i>er cent, or 1110 uooks hhtc
been changed, is correct. The correctness
of the statement we do not
admit. Exclusive of copy books and
drawing hooks, which are destroyed
by use, supplementary English Classics
and duplicates there were 53
books on the old list. Of this number
23 only were changed, whereas
20 were readoptod. Ten were entirely
dropped from the list. Owing to
the extension of the high school
course, it becomes necessary to add
nine new books to the list for high
school use. Bet each man calculate
the percentage of change for himself.
The foregoing is a statement of the
essential facts of the adoption, of
the preliminary preparation of the
members of the Board, and of the
fair and rational view to take of the
*\f\af fhA iinriorflicnAd an
VA/O 1/ 111 f VI T VVI? A v ???a\?va m<q..
polntlve members have no apology
to make either for the results of the
adoption or for the methods used.
They entered upon the task with only
one purpose, to further the best Interest
of the schools and of the children
of South Carolina. They brought
to bear upon this task their best experience,
the unremitting toll of
months, and the deepest interest and
sincerity. They believe that with due
allowance for the fallibility of human
judgment they have succeeded.
1 ' ''^hhhbhhbhmbhmb
BANK OB
Conwa
4
Has largest capital and surplus of a
than the combined capital and surp
CAPITAL STOCK.. ..
SURPLUS
LIABILITIES OP STOCK
SECURITY OP DEPOSIT
DIRE(
Robert B. Scarborough,
EL L. Buck,
Gtoorge J. Holiday,
We offer our customers every aco
will justify, and we i
tOBBRT B. SCARBOROUGH, D
President.
We continue to pay 5 pel
9 9 9 999
| FIRST NATO
fa OONWA
? CAPITAL STOCK
(P SURPLUS PROFITS
fo TOTAL ASSESTS
a? DIRECT
/|jb J. A. McDermott, John C
1ft B. G. Collins, H. L. B
jlf M. Burroughs, C. P. Que
Successor to toe tsaiiK 01
jl' Horry County, and a pioneer
ly allied with the recent devi
/|h Republic. Backed by tbe (
'ILI United States Bonds, we are p
tomerg any reasonable accomn
ft H. A. SPIYEY,
|| Cashier.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
H. H. WOODWARD
Attorney and Oouncelor At Law,
CONWAY, s. c.
/
R. B. SCARBROUGH
CONWAY, S. G.
Attorney at Law.
H. H. BURROUGHS
Physician and Surgeon.
CONWAY, 8. C.
B. WOFFORD WAIT.
Attorney at La/?
Bank of Horry Building.
CONWAY, S. C.
ME WORLDS GREATEST SEWIN6 MACHINE
flfjfouwnntol thera vibrating Shuttle. Rotaij
ftbutUe or a Single Thread [Chain aiitcA}
Sewing Machine write to
M SCW HOME 8EWINQ MACHINE COMFASI
Orange* Mats*
Hfcapaewfof machines are made to sell rcgardtewfE
fnilir* but the Wew Home is made to weaa
Our guaranty never runs out.
(M If aatherlied dealsr* awAftr
Oft SALS SV
BURROUGHS 4k OOLUN8 OB.*
Conway, 8. O.
Caught on Fire.
A Washington dispatch says the
House had an exciting scene when
Representative Will's of Ohio, rushed
from his desk, his clothing afire.
Several members came to his aid and
extinguished the flames. He was uninjured.
A box of matches in his coat
pocket caught fire.
To the test of use, to those who know
books and the needs of our schools,
and to the sober seexxnd thought of
the fair-minded people of their State,
they leave the final verdict.
D. M. O'Driscoll, 1st district.
H. F. Rice, 2nd district,
D. W. Daniel, 3rd district,
t A. G. Rembert, 4th district,
w ? % m w A %_ ja^&_a .a
j. i-?yies uienn, did district.
Nathan Toms, 6th district,
A. J. Thackston, 7th district.
' HORRY,
y. S, C.
ny bank in Horry county. More
lus of all other banks in the county.
V I
160,000
12,60#
CHOLDBRS .... 60,00#
OR8 .112,600 i
rroRS
D. V. Richardson,
W. A. Johnson,
Will A. Freeman.
ommodation which their accounts
solicit your business.
. V. Richardson, will a. fbrimab*
Vioe President. Cashim
r cent, on yearly deposits.
^
)NAL BANKi
Y, 8. O. fib
< . . . |2B,000.00
2,600.0#
. 126,000.00 /fa
rOR8: Jr
J. Spivey, D. t. McNeill, A>
uck, W. K. l^OWlB, U, ? *
ittlebaum, D. A. Splvey. ar *
Conway, the oldest Bank In
in Eastern Carolina. Close- JXr
elopment of the Independent
rovernment and secured by
repared to extend to our cu?- JUL
aodationg. W1
B. G. COLLINS, JL
President. j|
WOULD BANC IHfM
LYNCHING IS AVERTED BY ARRIVAL
OF OFFICERS.
\
Negro Man and His Wife Saved front
Angry Crowd by Intervention of
Cooler Heads.
A special dispatch to The State*
from Anderson says the lynching of
a negro man and his wife in the*
Neal's creek of Anderson county was;
narrowly averted Tuesday by cooV
heads and the prompt arrival of offl- p->
cers on the scene, H. P. McDaniels,.
a wealthy farmer, reprimanded his*,
negro tenant, T. C. Williams, for cut',
ting down some pine saplings.
The negro resented the reprimand
and made an attack on Mr. McDan?
iels, hitting him between the shoulder
blades with a largo rock. One*
of the shoulder blades was fitactured ?
and his spinal column was injured. * <
The news of the attack spread rapidly
through the county, and wlt.itn fvir.
hour a large throng had gatheredr
at the McDaniels home, many coming;
from a distance in automobiles.
A warrant against the negro,,
charging assault and battery with intent
to kill, was secured from (Magistrate
Martin, and Deputy Richard*
Smith, arrepted the negro, who offered
no resistance. Because the negro's*,
wife attempted to help him by bringing
out a shotgun, she was also ar~
pouf Oil
i VU l/WI
Imediately after the arrests were*
effected Deputy Sheriff Van Martin
and Constable Tom Davis arrived
in an automobile, picked up the*
prisoners and rushed them to thecounty
jail. The mob had greatlyincreased
in numbers and violence*
to the negroes was expected. Col.
D. A. Geer and others held the crowd *
back, and prevailed upon them te- \
allow the law to take its course.
Mr. McDaniels is a peaceable man
and one of the best citizens In Anderson
county. His condition is ser- J
ious, partial paralysis having sot in.
He is about 5 0 years old, and haa 5
taken ian active work in the school !
and church in his community. Great
indignation over the brutal attack
hiaa been expressed by the people. v
? ? ?
THK GRAY AND BLUB.
?
President Taft Will Follow Rull Run
Retreat.
When President Taft goes to Manne?n?
Vji 9R mllpa amithwont' nf
Washington on July 21 to speak at
the joint reunion of the blue and gray
armies on the .battlefield of Bull Run,
he will travel over the same old turnpike
that thousands of Union soldiers
used 50 years ago. The President
will motor down from the capital
with Secrebary Hllles and Maj. A.
W. Butt. Much of the ride will bo
over the road used by Gen. McDow- s
ell's soldiers when the tide of battlo
turned against them iand they fled '
back toward Washington.
? + ?
Stream of Burning Booze.
Recently a large whiskey distillery
was burned at Glasgow, Scotland. A
remarkable spectacle was furnished \
by a stream of burning whiskey running
from the flames, which consum- i
ed the building, Into the Cromarty
firth. ;